Railway traffic controlling system



April 16, 1935.. J. c. LINDNER RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed May 19,v 1951 I 3 3.2 5 mma TIIL AZM

IL vwl ATTORNEY 1 95m Una 1 2 E.

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES RAILWAY TRAFFIC coN'r-Ror-MNG SYSTEM 7 John 0. Lindn'er, Rochester, 'N'. YL, assi'gndrtd General N. Y.-

Eail'way Signal oompany, Rochester,

Application May 19, 1931;, Serial No 538Al-2 22- Claims. (or. 24641 This invention relates to railway traffic con-- trolling systems, and more particularly pertains to the power operation of railroad track switches.

It is desirable to have the control circuits for power-operated track switchesso arranged that the circuits extending from the'central tower or'control office to the various outlying switches shall be normally-deenergized to thereby reduce the power consumption of the system to a minimum.

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to supply the various switch machines of the outlying track switches-with power over a transmission line extending from the control ofiice, with the control means at each of the track switches governed over a single control line'wire employed in conjunction with the transmission line. The invention further proposes to as's'o ciate with-this single control line wire another. line wire for indication purposes,- also employed conjunction with the transmission line to transmit information to the control ofiice of "the position and locked condition of the associated track switch. The system of the present invention provides that the control circuit is normally deenergized, while the indication circuit isnormally energized.

Further objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawing, and in part pointed out as the description of the inven tion progresses.

In describingthe inventionin detail, refer ence will be made tothe' accompanying drawing which illustrates in a diagrammatic manner one form which the present invention-may assume; as specifically embodied in the control and indication of a single railroad track switch.

With reference to the accompanying drawing, a railroad track switch TS is illustrated as operated by a suitable switch machine SM. This switch machinemay be of any desired type, such for example, as the switch machine disclosed in the patent to W. K. Howe, Patent No". 1,486,903 dated September 4, 1923- or any other suitable switch operating and locking mechanism.

Included within the switch machine SM, or associated therewith, are a group of point detector contacts PD which are actuated in accordance with the-position and locked condition the position of the track switchand is operated to an intermediate position whenever the track switch TS is unlockedor the switch machine SM is in operation.-, i

The switch machine SM has associated therewithwhat may be termed a remote controller comprising a master relay MR and a control relay CR; The master relay MR is of the polarized type preferably havingits contacts held in either of, their'two-extreme positions by some type of mechanical holding means, such as a toggle arrangement. The control relay CR is of the neutral type having two windings t and l. The winding 6 is or highresistance, and is so designed that the current normally flowing in the energizing or pick up circuit of this relay will pick up his contacts, but the resistance of this winding prevents sufiicient current from flowing in the pick-up circuit to actuate the contacts of the, master relay On the other hand, the winding 1 of relay CR is of comparatively lowv resistance allowing sufiicient current to flow to maintain the relay CR energized through its stick circuit and at the same time cause operation of the contacts of the master relay l lhthe tower, a switch machine lever SML is provided and is operable to either of two extreme positions for oontrollinga contact 8 to either normal or reverse extreme positions. Associated with the controlleverfSML is an overload relay L which is of the marginal type, that the current normally flowing through the operating or control circuits of the remote controller comprising relays MR and does'not pick-up the overload relay such as, for example, overload re- Thelever SML has 'associatedtherewith an ind-icating relay for indicating the position and locked condition of the track switch TS.; This relay SS- is preferably-of the polar neutral type and may be employed for the; selection of switch and-signal circuits all accordance withcommon practice, which circuits will not be pointed out. in detail, relay SSis intended to be designed with such characteristics that when it is, connected in multiple with the overload relay 0L; it will not besufiiciently energized to pick;-' up'its neutral contacts due tothe potential drop across the-terminals oi the relay 0L.

A direct current source, such as battery I0 is provided for supplying positive and negative potential to the buses H and I2 extending from the control office to each of the several outlying track switches. However, inserted between the terminals of the battery Ill and the connection to the direct current transmission line, are the contacts of a suitable circuit breaker CBK. This curcuit breaker CBK is of the normally energized type having its energizing circuit taken through back contacts on each of the overload relays 0L associated with those levers which govern switch machines, or the like, receiving power from the buses H and I2. This energizing circuit is preferably in the form of a stick circuit, so that once 1 an overload relay OL is energized, the circuit breaker CBK will not be returned to a normal position applying current to the transmission line until it has been manually reset. The resetting means, which is intended to be of the manual type, has not been specifically shown but 'merely indicated. However, this resetting means may be a suitable electro-magnetic means or some suitable type mechanical meansfor restoring, when manually actuated, the contacts of the circuit breaker CBK to normal energized positions. 7

It is believed, that the usefulness and the various interrelated functions of the devices and circuits of this specific-embodiment of the present invention will be more readily understood by further description being given from the standpoint of operation. 7

Operation With the system in the normal condition illustrated, the circuit breaker CBK is normally energized through a circuit from the positive terminal if battery l0, through wires l5 and I6, windings of circuit breaker CBK, wire l1, back contact l8 of overload relay OL, wire l9, back contact 23 of overload relay 0L wire 2 I, back contact 22 of overload relay 0L and similarly through back contacts on the remaining overload relays of the system, wire 23, front contact 24 of circuit breaker CBK, wires 25 and 26, to the negative terminal of the battery It. With the circuit breaker CBK energized, positive potential is applied tothe bus i I, through wires l5 and 21, and front contact 28 of circuit breaker CBK; while negative potential is applied from the battery l0, through wires 26 and 29, front contact I 4 of circuit breaker CBK, to the negative bus l2.

Also, with normal conditions established, the track switch TS is in a normal locked position so that the movable contact 5 of the point detector contacts PD is in a normal position completing the energizing circuit for the indication relay SS, from the positive bus I I, through wire 30, contact 8 of switch machine lever SMLin its normal position, wire 3|, windings of relay SS, wire 32,- mov able contact 5 in its normal position, wires 33 and 34, to the negative bus l2. This'energizing circuit for the relay SS causes the polar contacts of this relay to be actuated to right hand positions and'its neutral contacts to be actuated toenergized positions in accordance with the normal locked condition of the track switch TS and its correspondence with the switch machine lever SML. The overload relay'OL, the control relay CR and the master relay MR are normally short circuited through a shunt cross protection circuit-completed from the positive bus I I, through wire 30, contact 8 of lever SML in a normal position, wire 35, winding of overload relay- 0L, controlwire 36,

wire 31, winding 6 of control relay CR. wires 38 and 39, winding of master relay MR, wire 40, polar contact 4! of master relay MR in a normal position, wires 42, 43 and 44, to the positive bus I i.

If the operator desires to operate the track switch TS to its reverse position, he moves the switch machine lever SML to its reverse position, which closes a reverse operating or control circuit from the positive bus ll, through wires 44, 43 and 42, polar contact 4| of master relay MR in its normal position, wire 40, windings of master relay MR, wires 39 and 33, upper winding 6 of control relay CR, wires 31 and 36, winding of overload relay 0L, wire 35, contact 8 of switch machine lever SML in its reverse position, wire 45, to the negative bus l2. The current which flows in this circuit is of insufficient value to either pick up the marginal overload relay OL or to actuate the master relay MR, but is of sumcient value to actuate the contacts of the control relayflRito energized positions,

ItisnOtedthat as soon as the operator moves the switch machine lever SML to its reverse position, both terminals of the relay SS are connected to the negative bus l2 which causes the neutral contacts of this relay to drop away.

As soon as the contacts of the relay CR assume energized positions, a stick circuit for the relay OR is closed through the winding '1 of the relay CR which circuit shunts out the winding 6 from wire 36, through wires 46 and. 41, front contact 48 of relay CR, wire 49, winding. 1 of relay CR, wire 50 to the wire 39. With this stick circuit closed, sufficient current flows through the master relay MR to actuate its contactsto reverse positions opening the energizing circuit for both relays CR and MR, which circuits are closed at polar contact 4! in its normal position. With the polar contacts of relay MR in reverse positions, the reverse control circuit is connected'to the negative bus both at the control oilice and at the track switch location, thus completing the reverse shunt cross protection circuit. causes the relay CR to be deenergized. During the energization of the-relay CR, the operating circuits of the switch machine, as governed by the master relay MR, are opened at a back contact of the relay CR, but as soon as the relay CR is deenergized the switch machine is energizer from the'positive bus H, through wires 44, 43 and 5|, back contact 52 of relay CR, wire 53, polar contact 54 of relay MR in a reverse position, wire 55, through the switch machine mechanism SM, through wires 55, 5i and 34 to the negative bus l2. The flow of current in this reverse operating circuit causes the switch machine to unlock the track switch TS and to operate it to reverse extreme locked position. At the end of such reverse operation of the switch machine SM, it automatically opens its own reverse operating circuit and comes to rest all in a manner understood by those skilled in the art and specifically pointed out in the above mentioned Patent No. 1,466,903.

-During' operation of the track switch TS,'the movable point detector contact 5 is operated to an intermediate position which closes a shunt circuit for the relay SS from its left hand terminal, through wires 3! and 35, through overload relay OL, wires 36 and 46', movable contact 5 in an intermediate position, wire 32, to the right hand terminal of the relay SS. Thus the short circuiting of relay SS with contact 8 of lever SML connected to and contact 5 of the point detector connected to as well as the effecti've shunting of relay SS by relay 0L when contact 5 is in its intermediate position, maintains relay SS in its dropped away condition. A selection can thus be made through contacts of relay SS dropped away for indicatinglack of correspondence between lever SML and track switch TS. r

Upon the. completion oi the operation of the track switch TS, the movable contact 5 is operated to its reverse position, which completes the energizing circuit forthe relay SS from the positive bus H, through wires 44 and 58, movable contact 5 in a reverse. position, wire 32, windings of relay SS, wire3l, contact 8 of switch machine lever SML. in its reverse position, wire 5, to. the negative. busll; With current flowing in this circuit, the polar contacts of the relay SS are actuated to; left hand positions and its neutral contacts are actuated to energized positions. Switch,'signa1 or other. circuits may be suitably selected, by the relay SS, as this relay indicates the position and locked condition of the track switch TS together with its corresp ndence with the control lever; SML.

The control and indication of the track: switch TS from itsv normal condition to the reverse condition has thus. been described and it isv believed unnecessary to describe the operation. from the reverse condition tothe'normal condition in do tail except with respect: to the; normal control circuit of; the relay MR and the normal operating circuit of the switch machine SM. V

The return of the switch machine lever SML from its reverse position to its normal position with the system in its reverse condition closes the normal control circuit from the positive bus H, through wire '30, contact 8- oiswitch machine lever SML in its normal position, wire 35, winding of overload relay 0L, wires. 36 and 3?, winding 6 of control relay CR, wires 38 and 39, windings of relay MR, wi-re lfl, polar contact 4| in its reverse position, wires 59, 51 and 34, to the negativebus l2. The current flowing in this circuit actuates the contacts 48 and 52 ofv the relay CR to energized positions shunting the winding 6 through the winding, 1- as heretofore pointed out and operating the contacts of. the master relay MR to normal positions, This connects the. normal control. circuit to the positive bus H both at the control ofliceand at the-out- V lying track switch thereby deenergizing the relay CR. Upon the: deenergization. of the relay CR,

.the normal operating circuitv for the switch machine SM is closed from the positive bus it, through wires 44, 43 and 5!, back. contact '52v of relay CR, wire 53, polar contact 54' of relay MR in its normal position, wire 60,. through the switch machine mechanism SM, wires. 56, 51 and 34, to the negative; bus 12.

The various other operations involved in returning the system to normal conditions may be understood byanalogy to the, preceding. description,

Assuming the system. to be in; normal CDIIdi-c tions as illustrated, in. the drawing, a cross might occur between the. control. line wire 36 and the negative bus l2. .This would complete a circult. from the positivebus Ii, wire30, through the contact 8. of switch machine lever SML, through the windings of overload relay 0L, to the negative bus I 2 which would immediately cause the. overload relay 0L. to bepicked up opening back contact I18 and thus deenergizing the circuit breaker, CBK. The deenergization of the circuit breaker CBK'furtheropens its own energizing circuit at front contact 24" and (iconergizes the buses H and i2 throughout the plant at front contacts 28 and [4.

The circuit breaker CBK maybe manually re-.

stored by actuation of the reset means which in order that it may then. remain in an energized position and allow normal operation of the system.

The switch machine SM maybe provided with suitable. overload protection, although such has not been specifically shown, and may be controlled in any suitable manner having pole changing contacts and the like all in accordance with common practice, or may be of the type as disclosed in the patent. to Hoppe and Swanton, No.

1,877,876 issued September 20, 1932.

Having described a control and indication system for railroad track switches as one embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to beunderstood that thisform is selected to facilie tate in the disclosure of. the invention rather than to limit the number of forms which it may assume; and, itis to be further understood that various modifications adaptations and alterations may beapplied to the specific form illustrated to meet the requirements of practice without in any manner departing from. thev spirit or scope of the present invention. except as limited by the appended claims. Having described. my invention, I now claim:

1. In a system for power operation of railroad track switches, a switch machine, a polar relay having contacts operable to opposite extreme posit-ions for governing the operation of said switch machine, a neutral relay, a source of electrical energy, two bus wires extending from said source, a single control wire, a control lever connecting said control wire to one or the other terminals of said source, means connecting said neutral relay to said control wire and one or the'other of said bus wires in accordance with said polar relay contacts, whereby said neutral relay is energized when said control lever is out of correspondence with said polar relay contacts, and means operating said polar relay contacts into correspondence with said control lever when said neutral relay is energized.

7 2.. Ina system for power operation ofv railroad track switches, a switch machine, a polar relay having contacts operable to opposite extreme positions for governing operation of said switch machine, a neutral relay, a battery source having positive and negative te-rminals, two bus wires respectively extending from said positive and negative terminals of said battery'source, a single controlwire, a. control lever connecting said control wire to one or the other of said bus wires, means connecting; said neutral relay to said control wire and. one or the other of said bus wires in accordance with said polar relay contacts, whereby said neutral relay is energized when said control lever is out of correspondence with said polar relay contacts, means operating said polar relay contacts into correspondence with said control lever when said neutral relay is energized, and. means preventing operation of said switch machine when said neutral relay is energized;

3, In a system for power operation of railroad track switches, a switch machine, .a polar relay having contacts operable to opposite extreme positions for governing the operation of said switch machine, a neutral relay, a battery source having positive and negative terminals, two bus wires respectively extending from the positive and negative terminals of said battery source, a single control wire, a control lever operable to either of two positions for connecting said control Wire to either one or the other of said two bus wires, means connecting said neutral relay and said polar relay in series with said control wire and to one or the other of said twobus wires in accordance with the position of said polar relay contacts, said means permitting the operation of said neutral relay and preventing the operation of said polar relay when said control lever is operated out of correspondence with said polar relay contacts, and means causing operation ofsaid polar relay contacts when said neutral relay is operated and said control lever is out of correspondence with said polar relay contacts. i 1

4. In combination; a polar relay having contacts operable to either of two positions; a neutral relay; a battery source; a control wire; a control lever; two bus wires; a pickup circuit for said neutral relay including said battery source, said control lever, said control wire and one or the other of said bus wires depending upon the position of said polar relay contacts, said pickup circuit being closed when said control lever is operated out of correspondence with said polar relay contacts; a stick circuit for said neutral relay including said battery source, said control lever, said control wire, said polar relay and one or the otherof's'aid two. bus wires depending upon the position of said polar relay contacts, said stick circuit being closed when said control lever is out of correspondence with said polar relay contacts and said neutral relay is picked up; and means governed by said polar relay con tacts when said neutral relay is deenergized.

5.111 a system for power operation of railroad track switches, a switch machine, two energized buses extending from a local point tosaid switch machine, a polar relay for governing said switch machine, a control lever'for governing said polar relay over a single line wire and either of said two buses alternately, an overload device included in series with said single line wire, and means responsive to an overload on said single line wire for causing said overload-device to deenergize said buses. I r

6. In a trafilc controlling system for railroads, a track switch, a'control lever for governing power operation of saidtrack switch, point detector contacts operated by track switch, a source of energy, two bus-wirescoimected to' said source of energy, an indicatin relay, means energizing said indicating relay with a polarity depending upon tlie position of said track switch, said means including a single indicating line, said control lever, one or the other of said two bus wires depending upon the position of said track switch and said control lever, said point detector contacts, and said source, and means shunting said indicating relay when said lever is out of correspondence with said track switch.

'7. In combination, a source or" energy having positive and negative terminals, a control lever, a track switch, an indicating relay having two terminals, means for connecting one terminal of said indicating relay -toone or the other terminal of said source depending upon the position of said control lever, means for connecting the other terminal of said indicating relay to one or the other terminal of said source depending upon the position of said track switch, whereby said indicating relay is energized in accordance with said track switch in a corresponding positionwith said control lever, and means governed by said control lever for operating said track switch.

8. In combination, a source of energy having positive and negative terminals, a control lever, a track switch, an indicating relay having two terminals, means for connecting one terminal of said indicating relay to one or the other terminal of said source depending upon'the position of said control lever, means for connecting the other terminal of said indicating relay to one or the other terminal of said source depending upon the position of said track switch, whereby said indicating relay is energized in accordance with said track switch in a corresponding position with said control lever, means shunting the two terminals of said indicating relay when said track switch and said-control lever are out of correspondence, and means governed by said control lever for operating said track switch.

9. In a system for power operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, and a second relay having an energizing winding included in series with said polar relay in such a manner that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay assumes its'energized position.

10; In a systemiorpower operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding included in series with said polar relay in such a manner that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay assumes its energized position, and a back contact of said second relay included in series in the operating circuits of said switch machine.

11. In a system for power operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding having such a resistance and included in series with said polar relay so that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay has said energizing winding shunted, and a front contact on said second relay for shunting said energizing winding.

12. In a system for controlling power operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding of a resistance included in series with said polar relay so'that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay has its energizing winding shunted, a front contact on said second relay for shunting said energizing winding, and means for opening the circuit including said polar and said second relay in series.

13. In a system'for controlling power operated track switches, a switch-machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding of a resistance includedin series with said polar relay so that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay has its energizing winding shunted, a front contact on said second relay for shunting said energizing winding, and a back contact of said second relay included in series in the operating circuits of said switch machine.

14. In a system for controlling power operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding included in series with said polar relay, a front contact of said second relay for shunting said energizing winding to permit said polar relay to be operated when said second relay has assumed its energized position, a polar indi eating relay controlled by current of a polarity depending upon the position assumed by said track switch, and means for shunting said indicating relay when said track switch assumes an intermediate unlocked position.

15. In a system for controlling power operated track switches, a switch'machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding included in series with said polar relay and connected ina manner to allow said polar relay to be operated only after said second relay has assumed its energized position, and a back contact of said second relay included in series in the operating circuits of said switch machine, a polar indicating relay controlled by current of a polarity depending upon the position assumed by said track switch, and means for shunting said indicating relay when said track switch assumes an intermediate unlocked position.

16. In a system for controlling power operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding of a resistance and included in series with said polar relay in such a manner that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay has its winding shunted, a front contact on said second relay for shunting said energizing winding, a back contact of said second relay included in series in the operating circuits of said switch machine, and means for shunting said second relay when said second relay assumes its energized position.

17. In a system for power operated track switches, a switch machine for operating a track switch, a polar relay for controlling said switch machine, a second relay having an energizing winding included in series with said polar relay, said energizing winding having such a resistance relative to the resistance of said polar relay that said polar relay will not be operated unless said second relay has said energizing winding shunted, a shunt circuit having a resistance relatively low compared to the resistance of said energizing winding, and a contact on said second relay for controlling said shunt circuit to at times shunt said energizing winding.

18. In a system for power operation of railroad track switches, a switch machine, a polar relay, 2. neutral relay, a polarized circuit for controlling the energization of said polar relay and said neutral relay connected in series, in said circuit, means allowing response of said polar relay to the polarity of said polarized circuit when and only when said neutral relay is picked up, and means allowing response of said switch machine to said polar relay when and only when said neutral relay'is deenergized.

19. In combination; a polarizedcircuit which may be energized with current of one polarity or the other or deenergized; a two-position polar relay included in series in said polarized circuit;

a neutral relay having two windings, one having low resistance and one having high resistance, said high resistance winding being permanently connected in series'in said polarized circuit, and said low resistance winding being connected in multiple with said high resistance winding in said polarized circut when and only when said neutral relay is picked up, whereby said polar relay is responsive to the polarity of said polarized circuit only when said neutral relay is picked up; and means controlled by said polar relay when and only when said neutral relay is released.

20. In a centralized traflic controlling system for railroads, a track switch, a switch machine for operating said track switch and having point detector contacts, a control lever for governing said switch machine and having control contacts,

a control circuit for said switch machine includ: ing said control contacts, a polarized indication circuit including said control contacts and having current flowing in one direction with said track switch in one position and with said control lever contacts in correspondence therewith and having current flowing in the opposite direction with the track switch in an opposite po-' sition with said control lever contacts in correspondence therewith but having no current flowing therein when said control lever contacts and said track switch are out of correspondence, and indication means included in said indication circuit.

21 In a centralized traffic controlling system for railroads, a track switch, a switch machine for operating said track switch and having point detector contacts, a control lever for governing said switch machine and having control contacts, a control circuit for said switchmachine including said control contacts, a polarized indication circuit including said control contacts and having current flowing in one direction with said track switch in one position and with said control lever contacts in correspondence therewith and having current flowing in the opposite direction with said track switch in an opposite position and with said control lever contacts in correspondence therewith but having no current flowing therein when said control lever contacts and said track switch are out of correspondence the direction of current flow in said indication circuit being selectively controlled by said contacts only, and indication means included in said indication circuit.

22. In a centralized traffic controlling system for railroads, a control ofiice and a field station, a track switch, a switch machine at said field station for operating said track switch and having point detector contacts, a control lever in said control office for governing said switch machine and having control contacts, a source of current in said control oflice, a control circuit for said switch machine including said control contacts and said source of current, a polarized indication circuit including said control contacts and said source of current and having current flowing in one direction with said track switch in one position and with said control lever contacts in correspondence therewith and having current flowing in the opposite direction with said track v switch in an opposite position and with said control lever contacts in correspondence therewith but having no current flowing therein when said control lever contacts are out of correspondence, and indication means included in said indication circuit.

JOHN C. LINDNER, 

